How I enjoy food, support my health and manage menopause weight gain without counting calories or feeling guilty.

A few weeks ago, I came back from a wonderful week’s holiday, and like everyone else, I wanted to relax, switch off and enjoy the local food.

I wanted the cocktails.

I wanted the ice cream.

I wanted the fresh bread, the lovely meals out and the lazy mornings.

And I definitely didn’t want to spend my holiday worrying about calories, restricting what I ate or feeling guilty about enjoying myself.

As a menopause nutritionist specialising in menopause weight gain — and someone going through menopause myself — I completely understand why holidays can bring up this worry. “How can I enjoy myself without coming home feeling like I’ve gained weight or undone all my hard work?”

Over the years, I’ve learnt that I don’t have to choose between enjoying my holiday and feeling good when I get home.

In fact, I believe holidays are an important part of a healthy lifestyle – especially during menopause, when stress, poor sleep and constantly trying to control your weight can leave you feeling exhausted.

For me, healthy living through menopause isn’t about being perfect.

It’s about having a few simple habits that support me most of the time, while still leaving plenty of room for real life.

You don’t need to “be good” on holiday

One of the biggest changes I’ve made over the years is letting go of the idea that I need to be “good” with food.

I don’t count calories.

I don’t avoid foods I love.

I don’t skip meals so I can eat more at dinner.

And I certainly don’t believe that one week of enjoying yourself is going to undo months of healthy habits.

Instead, I focus on a few simple things that help me feel satisfied, energised and comfortable while still enjoying the food and experiences that make a holiday a holiday.

Here’s what works for me.

1. I don’t skip meals to save calories

It can be tempting to think:

“We’re going out for a big meal tonight, so I’ll hardly eat anything today.”

But arriving at dinner absolutely starving rarely makes things easier.

You’re much more likely to eat quickly, eat past the point of fullness and feel uncomfortable afterwards.

Instead, I eat normally during the day.

That doesn’t mean constantly eating. It simply means I don’t deliberately deprive myself because I know I’m going out later.

2. I have a quick look at the menu if I can

If we’re eating somewhere new, I’ll often have a look at the menu beforehand.

Not because I’m trying to work out the “lowest calorie” option.

It’s simply because I find it easier to make a decision when I’m not absolutely starving and faced with twenty delicious choices!

It also means I can look forward to the meal rather than feeling stressed about what to choose.

3. I look for protein and vegetables

When I’m eating out, I often choose meals built around protein and add plenty of vegetables or salad.

Protein helps me feel satisfied, while vegetables and other high-fibre foods help me build a meal that feels nourishing as well as enjoyable.

And thankfully, holidays in warmer countries often make this incredibly easy.

Fresh tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, salads and gazpacho were all on the menu this week.

4. Sometimes two starters are better than one main course

This is one of my favourite little tricks when eating out.

Sometimes two smaller starters are much more satisfying for me than one large main course.

It also means I can have a bit more variety without ending up feeling incredibly full.

There’s no rule that says you have to choose a starter and a main course simply because that’s how the menu is structured.

Choose what you actually want to eat.

5. I don’t deprive myself of the foods I love

If I fancy chips, I’ll have some.

If I fancy dessert, I’ll have dessert.

Sometimes I’ll share them, simply because I know that a few bites of something delicious can be enough to satisfy me without leaving me feeling uncomfortably full.

That’s very different from telling yourself:

“I’m not allowed to have that.”

When food isn’t forbidden, you don’t have to feel like you need to eat as much of it as possible before the opportunity disappears.

6. At a buffet, I don’t try to be “perfect”

Buffets can be tricky because there is so much choice.

My approach is simple.

I’ll usually start by filling my plate with some colourful salad, vegetables, fruit and a source of protein.

Then I’ll add the foods I really fancy.

No food rules.

No guilt.

And no going back to the buffet five times because I told myself I wasn’t allowed to have something the first time around!

It’s about creating a meal that is satisfying rather than trying to create the “perfect” plate.

7. I drink plenty of water

This sounds obvious, especially somewhere hot, but it’s easy to forget when you’re relaxing by the pool or enjoying a day out.

I make sure I’m drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

And I love taking advantage of the fresh, water-rich foods available in warmer climates too.

Watermelon, tomatoes and cucumber were all favourites this week.

8. One thing I always pack

There is one other thing that comes with me on holiday every time — my daily Menobelly.

Not because I’m trying to be “good” or because I want to somehow cancel out the cocktails, dessert or holiday meals.

Quite the opposite.

I genuinely switch off on holiday. I enjoy the food, I say yes to dessert if I fancy it, and I don’t spend my time counting calories.

But I do like having a few simple habits that I know make me feel good, even when my routine changes.

Taking my daily Menobelly is one of those habits.

It’s quick, easy and it means I can continue with something that is already part of my normal routine at home.

For me, it’s not about being perfect.

It’s about supporting my body consistently while still enjoying real life.

And that’s the approach I take with nutrition too — small, sustainable habits that fit around your life, rather than a long list of things you’re not allowed to do.

9. And yes… I enjoy a few cocktails!

Because here’s the thing.

A healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean never having a cocktail.

It doesn’t mean saying no to every dessert.

And it certainly doesn’t mean spending your holiday worrying about whether you’ve eaten “too much.”

I had a few cocktails.

I enjoyed lovely meals.

I ate foods I wouldn’t necessarily eat at home.

And I enjoyed every minute of it.

The most important part? I enjoyed my holiday.

I swam in the sea.

I wore the bikini.

I slowed down.

I laughed more.

I made memories.

I enjoyed the sunshine.

And I gave myself permission to actually switch off.

Because that’s what holidays are for.

And I think this is something we sometimes forget when we’re trying to manage our weight during menopause.

Your health isn’t just about the number on the scales.

Rest matters.

Enjoyment matters.

Connection matters.

Reducing stress matters.

And having a life that you actually enjoy matters.

One week away isn’t going to undo months of healthy habits.

You don’t need to “earn” your holiday beforehand, and you don’t need to punish yourself afterwards.

What to do when you get home

Perhaps the most important thing is what you don’t do.

You don’t need to go straight onto a detox.

You don’t need to drastically cut your calories.

You don’t need to spend the next two weeks eating salads because you “overdid it.”

Simply return to your normal routine.

Get back to your usual meals.

Drink plenty of water.

Eat your protein and fibre.

Move your body because it feels good.

Get back into your normal sleep routine.

And carry on.

That’s what sustainable healthy living looks like.

Not perfection.

Not restriction.

Consistency.

Healthy living through menopause has to fit into real life

This is something I talk about with my clients all the time.

You can’t build a healthy lifestyle around the idea that you’ll always be at home, always have complete control over your food and never have birthdays, holidays, meals out, weekends away or celebrations.

Real life doesn’t work like that.

Your approach to nutrition needs to work at home and on holiday.

It needs to work when you’re busy.

It needs to work when you’re tired.

And it needs to allow you to enjoy the foods and experiences that make life enjoyable.

That’s why I don’t believe menopause weight management should be about eating less and exercising more.

It’s about understanding what your body needs at this stage of life and building habits that you can actually maintain.

Want to try Menobelly?

If you’d like to try the daily supplement I take with me on holiday and as part of my own menopause routine, you can find out more about Menobelly here – Discover Menobelly

Because supporting your health doesn’t have to mean being restrictive or perfect.

It’s about finding simple habits that work for real life – at home, on holiday and everywhere in between.

And if you’re struggling with menopause weight gain and want support putting those habits into practice, that’s exactly what I help women with inside my 12-week menopause nutrition and weight-management programme – find out more.

Because you shouldn’t have to choose between losing weight, feeling good and actually enjoying your life.

You can have all three.